Acid attack culprits to be booked for attempt to murder in MP

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said that his government will take stern action against the culprits in acid attack cases by charging them of attempt to murder.

"In the event of death of an acid attack victim, section 302 (murder) is normally applied but in case of an acid attack, the government will apply IPC's section 307 (attempt to murder) against those involved in such crimes," Chouhan told reporters after giving details about his pre-poll'Janashirwad Yatra', which will begin tomorrow from Ujjain.

The state government will also implement the Supreme Court order on banning sale of acid in open in the state soon, he said.

Referring to his Janashirwad Yatra, Chouhan said it was an endeavour to tell the people about the work done by his government for their welfare and seek blessings for the state Assembly elections, due later this year.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj will flag off Chouhan's yatra from Ujjain, he said adding that other party leaders including BJP veteran LK Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi would also take part in it later on.

The yatra will culminate at Bhopal on September 25, on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary when the party will organise a 'Karyakarta Mahakumbh'.

On the issue of Congress state leaders targeting him before the polls, he said the Congress central leadership has asked them to attack him directly as they don't have any other issues related to development to corner him before the polls.

It was a fact that the central ministers and other leaders had praised his government's policies on many occasions, he said.

To a question on the recent Pre Medical Test (PMT) scam, he said the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board has initiated a probe into the matter and law will not spare anyone found involved in it.

Referring to complaints against Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh for his tweet on Lord Ram in context of former state finance minister Raghavji, Chouhan said the law will take its own course in the matter.